Sectional pipe insulation assembly



[54] SECTIONAL PIPE INSULATION ASSEMBLY 9 Claims, 8 Drawing Flgs.

52 us. c1. 1 138/161, v 138/ 1 58 [51] Int. Cl. F161 59/12 [50] FleldofSeerch 138/141, 156,170,161,158;16/184 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,016,039 10/1935 Hurrell United States Patent 1 13,s42,081 [72] Inventor CarlJ.Agr1est1 2,287,903 6/1942 Rathburn 16/184X G llk om 2,778,759 1/1957 Stephansetal 138/156 zn APPLNQ 753,450 2,962,402 11/1960 Sweeney 138/141 22 Filed Aug, 19,1968 3,244,388 4/1966 Coffman 138/149 [45] Patented Nov.2 t,l970 3,301,727 1/1967 Verrelletal 138/156X [73] Assignee Owens-Corning FiberglassCorporation FOREIGN PATENTS ""P""" 717,033 8/1965 Canada 138/161 760,603 6/1953 Germany 138/158 Primary Examiner-Laverne D. Geiger Assistant Examiner-R. .1. Sher Attorney-Staelin & Overman ABSTRACT: A sectional pipe insulation assembly. The assembly includes a pair of mating semitubular insulation bodies which are preferably constructed of resin bonded fibrous glass material. The bodies have a first set of edges openable to receive a pipe to be insulated and a second set of edges joined together by hinges. A flexible jacket surrounds the outer surface of the insulation bodies.

Patented Nov. 24, 1970 Sheet 2 of 2 INVENTOR. 6/1/31 J. film/55H.

. 1 SECTIONAL PIP-E INSULATION ASSEMBLY BACKGROUNDOF Tl-IEINVENTION Many attempts have been made in the past to provide sectional pipe insulation which is usedto insulate conduits, for examples, hot and cold piping. Inaddition to good thermal efficiency, sectional pipe, insulation must present apleasing exterior appearance'. Because of labor costs,;sect'ional pipe insulation must also be relativelyeasy and fast to install.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is ,an' improvedsectional pipe insulation assembly whichincludes a pair of matingsemitubula'r' insulationbodies. -Theinsulation bodies are preferably constructed of resin bonded fibrous glassmaterial. The bodies have a first set ofiedgeswhich are openableto receive the pipe tonbe insulated: A second set of edges are joined together by hinges. A flexible jacket surrounds the outer surface of the insulationbodies.

It is the primary object ofthepresentinvention to provide an improved sectional pipe insulation assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONOF THE DRAWINGS FIG. [i a perspective view, with parts broken away, of one j embodiment of a1 pipes'insulation assembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a hinge usedin the embodiment of theinvention shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view takenalongthe line 33 of'FIG. l and showing the pipe insulation assembly in an open position ready to receive a pipe;

FIG. 4 is aperspective view of a-hinge used inanother em-' bodiment of a pipe insulation assembly according to the present invention; v

FIG. Sis a perspectiveview, with parts'broken away, showing still another embodiment of a pipe insulation assembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, showing another embodiment of a pipe insulation assembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6, showing thepipe insulation assembly in an open position and indicating in dashed lines the closed position; and- FIG. 81is a perspective, view of a hinge used in the embodi= ment of the invention shownin FIGS. 6 and 7.

DESCRIPTION-OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of a sectional piplinsulation assembly,

' drical outer surface 26, across the second set of longitudinally" extending jedgesil81toa point adjacent the: first set of edgesl7 between 4.0 pounds per cubic foot and 30.0 pounds percubic;

foot can be used for specializedinstallations-"While resinbonded fibrous glass; insulation material is preferable, other" types ofinsulation material, for examples rigid foamed plastic or rigid hydrous calcium silicate, can'be used.- 3

Whenin the mating position shown in FIG. 1, the insulation: bodies l l a'nd lZdefine two sets of mating longitudinale'd'ges.

The insulation body, has longitudinally extending edges 13 and I4 while the insulation body 12 has longitudinally extending edges 15 and.16-. ,The longitudinally extending edges'l3 l5 comprisea firstjset of edges 17 which are openable (see' FIG. 3) .to receive a pipe to beinsulated. The longitudinally extendingedges l4..l6 constitutea second set of edges I8."

Hinge means are, mounted across thesecondset of edgesl8 for connectingthe mating insulation bodies 11 and l2and for of longitudinally extending edges 18.

2. urging the bodies llan'dll into the closed-positionIReferring to FIGS. 1 and 2, in the first embodiment,thehinge means comprises a pair of hinges generally indicated by the reference number 20. The hinge 20 includes a pair of opposing legs 21 and 22. An integral central portion 23 extends between the opposed legs 21 and 22 and has a hinge tension opening 24. The opening 24 is of a predetermined size which is chosenfto place the proper degreeof hingeten sion upon the mating insulation bodies 11 and 12; To change the hinge tension the area of the opening 24'is varied. The hinge 20 alsoincludes a plurality of projections 25 which extend outwa rdly from the opposed Iegs 2l and 22. As shown in FIG. [,ithe hinge 20 is connected to the insulation bodies 11 and'l2'acros's the second set During the installation of the sectional pipe insulation as sembly 10, the firstset'of edges l7are opened, as shown in F IG; 3, and positioned around'the pipe; The snap action of the hinges 20urge theassernbly 10 back to the positions shown in FIG. 1. An outer surface 26 of the insulation bodies Ill-andlZ;

is surroundedwith a flexible jacket 27 which'is at leastpartly adhered to the insulation bodies 11 and 12. As shown'atthe.

right-hand side of FIG. 1, the jacket 27 covers the hinges 20 "so that the pipe insulation assembly l0'has a pleasing exterior appearance.

Referring to FIG. 4, in another embodiment of 'the'pr'esent invention, a hinge30 issubstituted for thehinge 20 shown in FIG. 1; The hinge 30 is'constr'ucted according to the disclosurein U.S. Pat. No. 3,289,877 and includes opposing legs-31 and 32, which are connected to, the respective insulation bodies 11 and Illacross the second set of lo gitudinallyv extending edges lie in a single plane as shown in FIG; 3'and in the other exincludes a plurality of outwardly extending projections 34 which are used in connecting the hinge 3010 the insulation bodies ll and 12 However, the present. invention is notrestricted to the use of the projections 34. Other types of connecting means, for examples, staples or plastic connecters, can

be utilized.

Stillanotherembodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 5. In this embodiment, apaii" of serpentinehinges ttl are substituted for the'hinges 20 of the FIG. 1 embodiment, The serpentine hinges 40 arev preferably constructed of. a 1 spring steelwire. The serpentine hinge 40 includesinwardlyextending members or prongs tl at its opposed ends. Each of theserpentine hinges 40 extends from a point adjacent the.

first set of longitudinally extending edges 17, around the cylin- Io'cated on the opposed one of the insulation bodies 11512."

shown). One of the U-shaped anchors Slis inserted in the in-.

sulation body It and the otherU-shapedanchor 5l is inserted in the insulation body 12. The anchors 51m mounted ad jacentthe second 'setof edges l8." The resilient member 52 is connected to the'pair' ofanchors 51 and extends across the; second-set of edges 18. The resilient member 52"of each hinge I. 50 urges'the assembly l0 into the closed position shownin .FIGJ. z While the present invention, has been disclosed in connec tion with a specificarrangement of parts'and with respect'to a 2 preferred embodiment, it should'be expressly unde'rstood that; numerous modifications and changes may be made without departingfrom the scope of the appended claims.

18. A central overcenter portion 33-interconnects the legs 31 and 32 and urgesth e legs 3land 32 into, their extreme positions. ln oneextreme position the legs 3Iand 32.

lclaim:

l. A sectional pipe insulation assembly comprising, in combination, a pair of mating semitubular elongated insulation bodies having a cylindrical outer surface, said insulation bodies having first and second sets of longitudinally extending edges, said first set of edges being openable to receive a conduit to be insulated, resilient hinge means mounted across said second set of edges for connecting said pair of insulating bodies and for urging said bodies into a mating position, whereby said resilient hinge means is effective to maintain said first set of edges in a snug engaging relationship, each of said hinge means including first and second leg means, said first leg means at least partially inserted in one of said insulation bodies and said second leg means at least partially inserted in the other one of said insulation bodies, and a flexible jacket surrounding said cylindrical outer surface of said insulation bodies.

2. A sectional pipe insulation assembly comprising, in combination, a pair of mating semitubular elongated insulation bodies having a cylindrical outer surface, each of said bodies being constructed of resin bonded fibrous glass material, said insulation bodies having first and second sets of longitudinally extending edges, said first set of edges being openable to receive a conduit to be insulated, resilient hinge means mounted across said second set of edges for connecting said pair of insulating bodies and for urging said bodies into a mating position, whereby said resilient hinge means is effective to maintain said first set of edges in a snug engaging relationship, each of said hinge means including first and second leg means, said first leg means at least partially inserted in one of said insulation bodies and said second leg means at least partially inserted in the other one of said insulation bodies, and a flexible jacket surrounding said cylindrical outer surface of said insulation bodies.

3. A sectional pipe insulation assembly, according to claim 2, wherein said insulation bodies have a density of between 6 pounds per cubic foot and 8.5 pounds per cubic foot.

4. A sectional pipe insulation assembly, according to claim 2, wherein said hinge means includes at least two hinges.

5. A sectional pipe insulation assembly, according to claim 4, wherein each of said hinges has a central portion positioned between said first and second leg means, said central portion defining a hinge tension opening.

6. A sectional pipe insulation assembly, according to claim 5, wherein each of said leg means has a plurality of outwardly extending projections.

7. A sectional pipe insulation assembly, according to claim 2, wherein said hinge means includes at least two hinges, each of said hinges including overcenter means integral with said first and second leg means for urging said leg means towards their extreme positions.

8. A sectional pipe insulation assembly, according to claim 2, wherein said hinge means includes a pair of resilient hinges, each of said first and second leg means of each of said resilient hinges comprising a pair of U-shaped anchors and a resilient member extending between said anchors.

9. A sectional pipe insulation assembly comprising, in combination, a pair of mating semitubular elongated insulation bodies having a cylindrical outer surface, each of said bodies being constructed of resin bonded fibrous glass material, said insulation bodies having first and second sets of longitudinally extending edges, said first set of edges being openable to receive a conduit to be insulated, hinge means mounted across said second set of edges for connecting said pair of insulating bodies and for urging said bodies into a mating position, said hinge means including a pair of serpentine hinges, each of said serpentine hinges having inwardly extending members at its opposed ends, each of said serpentine hinges extending from a point on one of said insulation bodies adjacent said first set of edges, around a portion of said cylindrical outer surface, across said second set of edges and to a point on the other of said insulation bodies adjacent said first set of edges, and a flexible jacket surrounding said cylindrical outer surface of said insulation bodies. 

